Fatal Fire: Defending Storybrooke
by t.j.guard
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin and Regina both remember nothing of their lives, before or after the curse, and it's up to Baelfire to solve this problem. But there's also the matter of Cora and her various allies and their efforts to take over Storybrooke.
1. The Finding of Belle

Fatal Fire: Defending Storybrooke

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time.  
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The Finding of Belle

Bae rushed up the stairs and checked Belle's bedroom, then his father's, then his own, then the private library, followed by the rest of the second floor, followed by the attic and then the ground floor. The entire thousands of square feet, and he was the only soul inhabiting it. Bae panted and ran his hands through his hair in a nervous fit. Belle was supposed to be here, unless she had taken up residence with someone else during Cora's arrival.

He ran toward the front door before realizing how fruitless it was, let alone dangerous, and began searching for a phone book. He called everyone who stayed and a few who didn't, reaching their answering machines or a busy signal, before finally tracking Belle down at Granny's and Red's. Bae's knees gave beneath him and he sank into a chair, such was his relief. "Thank God you're okay," he said.

"They think it's best I don't go back there. That woman will probably expect to find me there," Belle replied.

"So what do I do? Someone has to stay here or it'll fall into disrepair. When my father regains his memories, is that the place I want him to find?"

"What do you mean?"

"He crossed."

"He did what?"

"It was an accident, or rather, Cora forced it, but he crossed, along with Regina. They both remember nothing."

"So, what do you plan to do? Rumpelstiltskin is your father."

"I don't know, but whatever solution I come up with, I think I'll need to use magic to do it."

"Because the magic at the border did this, you think magic can undo it."

"Exactly."

"That's...actually pretty brilliant."

"Thank you. And be careful. These times are tough, and no one is safe."

"Thank you."

"I'll try to help Rumpelstiltskin, but if I need your help, I'll let you know."

"Thanks." Bae hung up and leaned back in the chair, staring at the surface of the table. He'd blown up a candle here, he thought sadly, and his father had been there to make it almost like it never even happened. When he feared that he would turn into a copy of the Dark One, Rumpelstiltskin made the effort to soothe him.

When he was younger and got picked on because his father was the coward that ran from the Ogre War, his father was there for him, wiping the tears away and whispering reassurances that everything was going to be okay, no matter what.

And now his own father didn't even remember him.

Baelfire leaned forward, rested his elbows on the table, and wept silently into his hands.


	2. First Steps

First Steps

Two long days of seclusion later, Bae worked up the courage and energy to walk across town to the bed and breakfast. He knocked on Rumpelstiltskin's room and, when Rumpelstiltskin answered, said, "I need to talk to you first."

"Of...of course," Rumpelstiltskin said. "Come in." He closed the door behind the man he had forgotten was his son.

Bae turned to face him. "Your name is Rumpelstiltskin," he said. "You have magical powers."

"You start with that? Why?"

"So you don't freak out when you find out you can do things, like I kind of did. Here," Bae held out his hand and produced a candle. "I can do things, too. I'm not really good at it, but I know some basic stuff, if that helps."

"Do you want me to do that?"

"Let's start simpler. Think you can light it?"

"How do I do that?"

"Just relax and focus on the wick."

Rumpelstiltskin took a deep breath and stared at the wick in the center of the candle. His eyes widened when it caught. Bae chuckled. "You took that better than I did."

"Excuse me?"

"How much do you remember?"

"Only the last two days. Why?"

"Because you crossed over the border, and it erased your memories."

"Oh, really?"

"And what I'm referring to is before that happened, so you forgot it along with everything else."

"So...will I remember?"

"Your memory was erased by magical means, so I think it'll take some magical means to get your memory back."

"Oh."

"Do you...do you feel alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're not overwhelmed, are you?"

"No, of course not."

"We, um, August and I, wrote a book about the people in this town. You can...read it if you want."

"Thank you."

Bae smiled and nodded to Rumpelstiltskin. "You think about it, and I think now I'll talk to Regina."

"Who's Regina?"

"The woman next door."

"Oh."

OUAT

"Who's Rumpelstiltskin?" Regina asked.

"The man next door," Bae replied.

"And, I'm Regina? I used to be mayor?"

"Yes, before the curse you cast on the town broke and Storybrooke basically fell into some form of fairy-tale law style government." Regina nodded but still looked skeptical. "You also have magical powers."

"What?"

Bae conjured the candle again. "Just focus on the wick," he said. "And be sure to relax."

"You're sure about this?"

"Absolutely."

"If you're sure," she said slowly, taking a deep breath and staring at the candle. Again, it caught, but Regina fainted shortly thereafter.

"That didn't go as planned," Bae said, making the candle disappear, adjusting Regina's position, and walking out of the room.

OUAT

Regina's eyes fluttered open, and she worked her way to her feet slowly. I have to get out of this little room, she thought, slipping into the hall. The stranger had said Rumpelstiltskin was next door, so she decided to knock. "Hello?" the middle-aged man leaning on the cane asked when he answered the door.

"Are you Rumpelstiltskin?" Regina asked.

"So I've been told."

"I, uh, just wanted to be sure."

Rumpelstiltskin nodded. "Is something on your mind?"

"I can't remember, but I think it has something to do with magic."

"How do you mean?"

"I...I lit a candle by thinking about it. Is that bad?"

"You mean, will you turn into your mother? Because that, dearie, is entirely up to you."

"Where'd that come from?"

"No idea. Why do you ask?"

"Because it sounds familiar. Why am I thinking about looking-glass portals right now?"

"I honestly haven't the foggiest, but I think I know where we can start."

"Where?"

"There's a book that we can read. The stranger told me about it."

"Do you know where it is?"

"No, but since I heard him come from the direction of Room Two, so I say we start there."

"Oh, okay. That makes sense."

Rumpelstiltskin closed the door behind him, smiled to Regina, and limped down the hall. She swallowed but followed him anyway.

OUAT

August looked up from his work and walked over to the door. "Hello," Rumpelstiltskin said. "We're looking for a book."

"What kind of book?" August asked.

"Do you recognize the names Regina and Rumpelstiltskin?"

"Oh, that book. Henry has edition one, but we have some draft material for edition two that you can look at." August let them enter. "I'll get ribbed if I don't let you."

"By who?" Regina asked.

"He told me once to call him Bae and it would all make sense."

"Bae," Rumpelstiltskin whispered, as if trying the word in his mouth. It felt right. "Bae," he said again, smiling to himself.

"I wouldn't rush into it, though," August said. "It'd be a lot to handle, and we wouldn't want you to go into overload mode and pass out."

Regina chuckled dryly and said to Rumpelstiltskin, "You go first. And tell me if there's anything I should know."

Rumpelstiltskin nodded and approached the des, on which sat the typewriter surrounded by reams of papers. One of the pages had a list of names with bulleted points beneath them. There were several such pages, through which he searched for their names. "'Regina,'" he read, "'occasionally signs herself _Regina regina_, known as the Evil Queen, vendetta against Snow White-stepdaughter-'"

"Wow, I'm not so sure I like myself," she said.

"There's even a note here that I created the curse you cast on this land, the one that sent everyone here. I'm not sure I like myself, either."

"The process of self-re-discovery," August said to himself.

"What do those papers say about you?" Regina asked Rumpelstiltskin.

Rumpelstiltskin flipped through a few pages and read, "'Rumpelstiltskin, also known as the Dark One, feared throughout the realm, willing to make deals with everyone so long as he gets the best out of it.' I sound like such a creeper." He and Regina both burst into laughter, and August couldn't help but chuckle.

"You guys want anything from the diner?" August asked.

"Chicken strips sound really good right now," Regina said.

"Agreed," Rumpelstiltskin added.

August nodded and stepped out of the room.


	3. Return to the Library

Return to the Library

August walked over to a table, arms laden with baskets of chicken strips, and said, "Hey, Red, your granny made me order extras, so I guess there's a party at my place. You guys wanna come?"

Red and Belle looked at each other. Red shrugged and said, "Yeah, sure."

Belle asked, "Can I take my iced tea?"

"I think that's alright, but I'll have to take the glass with me when we come back."

"Fair enough."

"Alright, let's go."

OUAT

"Rumpelstiltskin," Belle said when they reached the room. She rushed for him, and he held up his hands.

"Have we met?" he asked.

"You have," August said, setting down the baskets of chicken strips. "You just don't remember it."

"Will I?"

"Not a clue."

He handed Regina a basket. "Thank you," she rasped, and she dug in. She closed her eyes and hung her head back.

August fished out his phone and dialed a number.

OUAT

"Hello?" Bae asked, answering his cell phone.

"Hey, man," August replied.

"Oh, it's you."

"Look, we're havin' a chicken strip party with Rumpelstiltskin and Regina. They already started reading the material for ed two."

"You're actually helping them."

"Yeah."

Bae laughed. "Never thought I'd live to see the day."

"Look, if you don't want to come, it's fine. I'll save you some chicken strips. I've got a bunch of 'em."

"I'll pass. Thanks."

"On the chicken strips or on coming."

"On coming. Just drop the strips by Rumpel's old place."

"Got it."

"Thanks." Bae hung up and lay on his bed. Rumpelstiltskin and Regina were getting curious, which was a good sign, but knowing and remembering were two totally different things. He sighed and got to his feet. This looked like a matter for the library.

OUAT

"Bae, there you are," Morraine said, pulling Bae into an alley. "Have you lost your mind?"

"What are you talking about?" Bae asked.

"Keep your voice down," Jefferson snapped from the shadows.

"He agreed to keep track of who gets in and out," she explained in a whisper.

"Where's Hook?" Bae asked.

"With Tinker Bell. They haven't made a move for the crew yet," Jefferson replied. "And, you better think of a way to get out of this God-forsaken town, because I don't see it."

"Call D. She knows someone. She knows everyone in the portal jumping business, and if she doesn't know them, she knows of them. If you want a way out, you talk to her, and she'll hook you up."

"So where is she?"

"Beats me. Maybe you can find her."

"Where're you off to?" Morraine asked.

"To find a way to restore my father's and Regina's memories, and the answers to that question and others are in the library."

"I'm coming with you. Jefferson, track down D. Neither of you argue with me on this." Jefferson opened his mouth, but Morraine said sharply, "Don't." He pursed his lips and nodded. She turned to Bae. "Alright, let's go."

OUAT

"Be careful and be quiet," Bae said to Morraine when they entered the library. Belle was at August's place, so they could easily slip into the restricted section.

"What're we looking for?" Morraine asked.

"Anything on the curse or the history of the town, especially its border."

"You think we'll find anything?"

"Hoping so." Bae began browsing the book spines until he found one pertaining to Storybrooke. He pulled it off the shelf and walked to the table. Morraine followed but stood before the table as he sat down and opened the book. "The usual..." he muttered to himself. "No one gets in, no one gets out, sounds like the Hotel California-"

"Excuse me?"

"Cultural reference I picked up in this world."

"Oh. Anything else I should know?"

"I'll answer most of the questions you ask, if that helps."

"It does."

Bae smiled.

OUAT

Hook pulled away from the half-moth-eaten curtain in the shack in downtown Storybrooke. Tink studied him a moment. "What is it?" she asked.

"Still nothing. Half the town looks deserted," he replied.

"Well, with Cora out and about and you having evacuated a majority of the residents, that's to be expected."

"Speaking of, what do we do about her?"

"Regina and Cora both learned magic from Rumpelstiltskin, but Regina and Rumpelstiltskin are now both amnesiacs. If they can get their memories back, they'll have the keys to defeating her."

"And Rumpelstiltskin's son, Baelfire?"

"He's still too inexperienced, but at least he understands the mundane world, and he's already working on a way to cure the amnesia induced by the border."

"Does he know it will probably take magic?"

"Yeah."

"Then he's a long way ahead of most of us."

"We just focus on holding off Cora and finding our way back to the haven." Hook nodded, and Tink stepped toward him. "You and me, just like we did everything after we met. Together."

"Yes," he whispered, and he kissed her. "Always."

She smiled. "Now, let's get started."

OUAT

"Nothing," Bae said, "at least, not here." He closed the book and returned to the shelf.

"So, what does that mean?" Morraine asked.

"Well, it means that we need to keep looking."

"Well, alright."

He turned toward her. "What is it? You can be honest."

"Bae, it's always been in my understanding that memory loss eventually cures itself. Is it really worth all this trouble?"

"In your experience, does the means of amnesia much matter?"

"I'm not familiar with magical amnesia, but...it does seem like a curse, and they say now that true love's kiss can break any spell."

"Of course. Morraine, you're a genius."

"Uh, thank you?"

"Belle. Belle is the key. She and Rumpelstiltskin have to fall in love again."

"Bae, um, are you sure that's going to work?"

"The best way is to just introduce them and let it happen naturally, but if August is having a chicken strip party, it may have already started."

"That's our work done for us, then."

"Potentially."

"Just relax. Besides, we have other matters to deal with. Namely, Cora."

"What do we do about her?"

"Good question."

"I was told I could find you here," said a black-haired man as he walked into the library. Bae set his jaw and pushed Morraine behind him. She gave him a quizzical look, but it was clear his attention was on the man and that she would be unlikely to get any answers just yet. "I was already on my way when D called a second time. Oh, it's you, Ben. I didn't recognize you with a girlfriend."

"Excuse me?" Morraine asked. "Who are you?"

"Oh, where are my manners? Name's Jack."


	4. Questioning Loyalties

Questioning Loyalties

"From, Jack and the Beanstalk?" Morraine asked.

"The one and only, and I've got the entire stash of magic beans to prove it," Jack said.

"I'd have thought you would've used them all by now," Bae replied.

"They're money, kid. 'Course, you with all your honor and pride, you don't care about that stuff." Jack reached over to ruffle Bae's hair, and Bae recoiled. "What're you so itchy about, anyway?"

"The fact that she called you."

"Still thoroughly convinced I'm a junkie, huh?"

"You talk like it's a lie."

"And you talk like you can call B.S. on stuff you don't know about."

"I know you better than you think. Contrary to popular opinion, which is to say yours, I actually pay attention to my surroundings."

"What is with you? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" This time Jack did ruffle Bae's hair. Bae shoved his hand off and punched him in the nose. "Good God. If I'd have known you were so pissy today I would've waited."

"You should've just sent the beans."

"Can you use them?"

"Yes."

"Fine, then. Guess I'll leave, and you'll never get out of here."

"Please. You can't pass up a chance to be the hero." Jack rolled his eyes and walked out of the library.

"What was that about?" Morraine asked.

"I don't talk about it," Bae replied. "I've got to find D."

OUAT

D set a plate of ham in front of Toto and then walked to the door. The doorbell was already ringing a second time when she answered. Facing her across the screen was Bae. "What're you doing here?" she asked.

"I wanna know why Jack's here," he replied.

"He is?"

"He said you called."

"Well, I called, once."

"Not twice?"

"He said I called twice?"

"Yeah."

D wrenched the screen door open and pulled Bae inside before he could protest. She bolted the main door and hissed, "Bae, the loose cannon is about to go off, and it's gonna be big."

"Excuse me?"

"He can't be trusted. Do you know what the signal 'after so-and-so called the second time' means?"

"It's a signal?"

"Yes, Bae, it's a signal, and it's a warning. It means, 'I don't listen to you anymore.'"

"Or it means exactly what it says."

"It rarely does," D said. "Not when we're talking realm jumping."

"Alright, assume you're right, and I can't tell that right now. What do we do?"

"Pray."

"Besides that."

"Alright, man of action. We watch closely and figure out what his motive for coming here actually is. If he's working with anyone, we wanna know that, too."

"And if we can't find any of that?"

"Then we're screwed."

OUAT

"There's a problem," Smee said as soon as Hook closed the door of the shack. "Jack's back."

"How does he know about that?" Tink asked.

"What do you mean?" Hook asked.

Tink gestured to Smee and said, "Stay there." Then she pulled Hook into a back room, closed the door, and lowered her voice. "He's not supposed to know about Jack. That's something I haven't told anyone, not even you."

"That explains why I don't know what you're talking about."

The fairy exhaled. "Jas, Smee knows something he shouldn't. That's what's important, and we have to figure out how, why, and what to do about it."

"You think he's going to betray me?"

"I can't rule anything out."

Hook chewed his lip, bowed his head, and ran his hand through his hair. He looked up at Tink and asked, "Are you sure about this?"

"No, but if he's talking about things he shouldn't know, I have to be worried. Especially if it's...this."

"If I may, and I'm quite curious, what is 'this'?"

Tink blew out of a small hole she made with her lips, and then she opened her eyes. "'This' is the magic beans that went missing when I first started working under the Blue Fairy, except, they didn't go missing. Jack found his way to our realm, and the rest, as they say, is history."

"You gave them to him?"

"No. He found them on his own, but I didn't report the disappearance for a while, as a way to make sure she didn't get complete control over those, too. But, I did save one."

"What happened to that one?"

"One of the saddest things magic can do: it separated a family."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"They're together now, at least, physically. Barring any unforseen circumstances, odds are the father will have his memories back, for the most part, within the year." Hook blinked. "Minds are weird."

He nodded. "Indeed they are."

Tink turned her gaze to the door. "So what are we supposed to do about Smee now?"

"Watch and bide our time," Hook said. "Surely that's what he'd be doing." She nodded and opened the door.

A gunshot rang through the shack. Hook pulled Tinker Bell into a corner and drew his own gun. A second shot tore a hole through the window curtains and punctured the glass. Tink's hand wrapped around Hook's wrist. Smee appeared in the doorway.


	5. Evasive Measures

Evasive Measures

"Well, well, well, isn't this a nice little scene," Smee said, standing over them.

Plan, plan, need a plan, Tink thought, taking in both Smee's stance and his gun. She pushed Hook out of the way and dove to the other side. He glanced at her but seemed to comprehend immediately and kept his position opposite her. "What're you after?" Tink asked. "It's gotta be something. Power? Money? Hell, maybe even a whore or two. We all know how much sailors need companionship."

"Yeah, we do."

"Question is, if your captain's not good enough to you, who is? What could be good enough for you to mutiny against that guy?" She gestured to Hook.

"What do you know about mutiny?"

She shrugged. "It's a felony, and your captain can kill you."

Smee scoffed. "I'd love to see him try."

Hook cocked his gun. "Turn around, then." Smee turned, eyes wide as he stared down the barrel of the pistol. Hook fired, and Tink ducked into a deep squat. Smee dove to one side and then turned on them, ready to charge. Hook pistol-whipped Smee twice in the back of the head. When Smee dropped to the ground, he said, "Come. We need to leave."

"Where?"

"Wendy."

Tink glanced at Smee, kicked him in the head for good measure, and followed Hook out of the shack.

OUAT

Bae had finally been reduced to pacing across the main room of the abandoned building D had taken up residence in. His mind was heavy. Sure, Jack was a complete asshole, but he was also a portal jumper, and portal jumpers turning on each other was almost unheard of.

At least, to him.

Finally he stopped and leaned against a wall, running his hands through his hair. He sank into a sitting position. "Wait and watch," he said. "That's all we're supposed to do?"

"That's the safest option. You could also kill him, but that'll get you in big trouble in this world."

"Yeah, but Storybrooke's kind of in between. They're a bunch of fairy tale world characters stuck in the real world but cut off from it at the same time."

"But technically this is the real world. Real world rules apply here."

"But the old sense of justice remains. Do you see the dilemma?"

"Does it matter?"

"You were born here. You're from here. I'm not."

"You're from here as much as I am, and you're from there just as much as I am."

"But we can't sit here and do nothing," he snapped. Then he looked up. "Maybe we don't have to."

"What're you thinking?"

"We bait him. C'mon." He stood and led her out of the building and down the street.

OUAT

Bae spotted Jack moving down Main Street, and he and D followed him at a distance of some fifteen feet to a building at the edge of town. He looked at her and then slipped inside after Jack. Jack made his way to something he fashioned into a living room, and D spotted a bag of magic beans on the table. Bae soon followed her gaze, and his jaw dropped. So this is where all the beans got off to, he thought, remembering the moment in the forest when he called on the Blue Fairy to help him with his father.

He grabbed the bag, and they made their way out of the building through a back way. "Good job," D said when they were clear. "Now we need a new place to hide."

"You've come to the right place," Bae replied. "C'mon, I know just where to go." He led her down the street to Rumpelstiltskin's old place.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Most of the people here know it's his. They won't come here if they don't wanna cross him."

"And if they want to make a deal?"

"I'm working on that part." He led her into the foyer and bolted the door behind them. "We should be safe here, for now." He walked into the living room and dropped the plastic bag on the endtable. "One of these, or maybe more, is our ticket out of this town for all these people."

"And breaking the Ring?"

"That's your forte, not mine."

"But we're operating on the presumption that the Ring can be broken."

"It can. They all can. I just wanna know if the beans hold a way to do it. If not, then we still have them so we can all leave in case this all goes to shit. That and these things can bait Jack into possibly telling us where his loyalties lie and who he's working for, if anyone. That was our original plan, yes?"

"Yeah, but Jack's a loose cannon about to go off. That hasn't changed, and there's a lot of doubt that it will."

"Better at us than someone else."

"Okay, I'll give you that one." D walked over and sank into the couch.


	6. Convergence

Convergence

Hook and Tink moved through the side-streets of Storybrooke, asking whoever they could about the location of Wendy, whom they had to describe several times. Finally, they were pointed in the direction of the forest, and after some tracking, they found Wendy walking along the bank of a river, sword in hand and the axe still strapped to her back. He called her name. She turned sharply, holding the sword level before recognizing Hook and Tink and sheathing her weapon. "What're you doing here?" she asked.

"Looking for you," Hook replied. "We got into something of a scrape."

"What'd you tear down in the scuffle this time?"

"Actually it's not so drastic."

"What happened?"

"Smee's turned his coat, or was serving as a spy the whole time."

"Did he give any clue as to who he could be working for?"

"No."

"And it's safe to assume he threatened your lives?" Hook and Tink nodded. "Where is he now?"

"Not a clue."

Wendy nodded and chewed her lip for a moment and then turned to Hook. "Alright, we need to find a place to hide but which is also close to the action. If this takes a turn anywhere we don't want, we need to know about it and act as soon as possible. We might stay with a friend of mine."

"Which friend?" Hook asked.

"From before Neverland."

"Ah."

"We better head out," Tink said, "lest we lose him."

Wendy nodded. "Good plan. Let's go."

OUAT

Hook fell into step beside Wendy. "Who's this friend of yours?" he asked.

"The son of a village spinner," she replied. "I think you might've met this spinner, seen my friend the boy when he was very young, and certainly knew his wife. What did you say her name was? Milah?"

"Oh, how did I not recognize the lad? He has his mother's nose."

"She was a bitch. I did not like her."

"So you did know her."

Wendy smiled. "When I was little, I liked to spit on her dress. She always tried to make something fancy out of herself to make it look like her life was better than it was. At the risk of being backhanded, whenever I could I'd spit in her hair, too."

Hook laughed, allowing himself to feel nostalgic for a moment, and then he asked, "Who were you before he dubbed you Wendy?"

"What did I call myself?"

"You can look at it that way, yes."

She released a breath and checked around her for Cora. "I called myself-I still call myself-Morraine."

"It's a lovely name. You should've kept it."

"I did, but I prefer not to use it around strangers." Hook nodded in understanding. The three crossed the Troll Bridge into Storybrooke proper and made their way down side street after side street to Rumpelstiltskin's mansion. "This is it," Morraine said. Hook knocked on the door.

OUAT

Bae answered the knock almost immediately and then gestured for Morraine, Tink, and Hook to enter. "What is it?" he asked.

"Smee," Hook replied.

"He's turned coat," Morraine added.

"No idea who you're talking about," Bae said.

"That's good," Hook said.

"Speaking of traitors," D said. "Jack's not on our side anymore."

"Who?"

"Guess that's also good, but we also have his magic beans, so he's kind of stuck here. He can still leave, but he can't leave this realm unless he goes through a trod, and he's as green as your friend here," she gestured to Bae, "in the network."

"He's too ambitious to leave," Bae added. "Trust me, I know. And you'll have to take my word for it because I'm not telling you how I know."

"I'll accept that," Hook replied.

"Well, we should let you three settle in," D said. "Life's kind of lagging for us right now."

"Thank you."

Hook and Tink moved deeper into the mansion, and Bae led Morraine into the kitchen, his mind suddenly alight with an idea. "The well," he said. "Its waters can restore lost things. What have people around us lost lately? Their memories. And since we have no idea how long we'll live, which is certainly not enough time for Belle and Rumpelstiltskin to fall in love again and find someone to fall in love with Regina, this might be the best way. Follow this?"

"I...think so," Morraine replied.

"We simply give them some water. See?"

"I think that might actually work."

Bae plucked a couple of glasses from a cabinet shelf. "Coming with me?"

Morraine smiled. "Of course."


	7. Restoration

Restoration

Bae and Morraine walked up the forest road to the well near the town limits. As he drew the water, she said, "So, about that dinner and a movie thing."

"Yes?" he replied.

"I've been thinking about it, and I've been thinking about something more simple."

"Like what?" He poured measures of water into the glasses and handed one to her.

"Like what we used to do back home: we hang out somewhere, sometimes in the forest, and just talk. Catch up, reminisce. For old times' sake."

Bae smiled. "That sounds fantastic," he said. She smiled in return. "You have a beautiful smile."

"Thank you."

"I think I know two very thirsty individuals," he said after a moment. They walked back down the road.

OUAT

Bae took a deep breath and knocked on the room to his father's room. He glanced at Morraine, who was currently being invited into Regina's accomodations. Then he looked back at the father who didn't recognize him. "Hey," he said.

"Hey," Rumpelstiltskin replied, gesturing for him to enter.

Bae stepped inside, and Rumpelstiltskin closed the door behind him. "There's a well here in town. The legend goes that its waters have the power to restore what has been lost."

"Like...memories?"

Bae nodded and offered the glass. "I, um, find that it's best to be straightforward."

"I...I see that." He took the glass, held it up, and said, "Cheers."

"Cheers." Rumpelstiltskin took a sip and then dropped the glass. He sank to his knees, his hands on his head, and Bae rushed over to him. "Papa?" he asked. "Papa?"

Rumpelstiltskin looked up. "Yes, Bae." His eyes brightened, and he crushed Bae in his arms. "Bae. Baelfire. My beautiful boy." He began to cry. "I remember you."

"It worked. It actually worked." Bae pulled Rumpelstiltskin to his feet and rushed to the door. Then he went to the neighboring room and said, "M, M. It actually...Oh, my God."

Standing in the middle of the room was Cora. Regina was tied to the bed, and the glass with the water had been spilled on the floor. Morraine was struggling against the magic binding her to the wall and reaching for the axe on the floor. Bae reached for the axe when Rumpelstiltskin rested his hand on his son's shoulder. "Help Regina," he whispered. "I'll help Morraine." Rumpelstiltskin straightened and stepped in front of Cora. "Well, well, well, I knew you looked familiar."

"You remember," Cora said flatly. Bae made his way over to a panic-stricken Regina and began to free her. Cora turned toward him, forced him to face her, and dug her hand into his chest.

Rumpelstiltskin conjured a knife and pressed it to her neck. "Let my son go," he hissed.

"Or you'll what?"

"Oh, I'll think of something, I'm sure. I seem to recall doing it before." Cora's grip on Bae's heart relaxed, and he sank to the floor. Rumpelstiltskin released Cora and said, "Good choice." Bae returned to Regina.

He worked the gag off of her mouth, and she said, "It's no use. Go. Save yourself while you still can."

"What use would that be?" Bae asked in reply, working at the knots that kept magically knitting themselves back together. "Two can play at that game." He snapped his fingers. The ropes caught fire. Regina gasped and struggled. "Relax," Bae said. The ashes of the ropes fell to the floor. "That should do it."

Regina studied her wrists but found they were perfectly intact. "Wow," she whispered.

"Come on." He helped her to her feet, and they moved to the door. Cora moved her hand, and the door slammed shut.

"We're never getting out of here," Regina said. "We're never getting out of here."

"Yes we are," Bae replied. He turned toward Rumpelstiltskin and Morraine, still struggling against her magical bonds. "Papa," he said, tilting his head in her direction. Rumpelstiltskin nodded and snapped his fingers. She dropped to the floor and picked up her axe. Cora turned on them.

"No," Regina hissed. "Not today." She grabbed a chair and broke it over Cora's back. Cora turned to her, and Regina stabbed her with one of the broken legs of the chair. Cora gasped for a while, trying to breathe, and then sank to the floor.

Bae and Morraine looked at each other, then at Rumpelstiltskin and Regina. Regina had dropped the leg and was looking at them over her hands. "This should be the last time," Bae said. She stared at him, and he gave a reassuring nod.

"Let's go, before someone picks up on what happened here," Morraine said.


	8. Epilogue

Epilogue

Morraine, Rumpelstiltskin, Bae, and Regina walked out onto the street. Bae looked around, seeking the source of the bad vibe he felt, and Rumpelstiltskin lay his hand on his son's shoulder. "It's almost over," he whispered.

"I know," Bae replied.

"There you two are," Jack said. All four of them turned. He walked toward them with his hands outstretched. "I figured one of you had my magic beans."

"I've a feeling that's not the only thing you want. Otherwise you wouldn't be here. You'd be back in Minnesota auctioning the beans off to the highest portal-jumping bidder, as soon as you got them back, of course. So you're here for some other reason. What is it?"

Jack nodded behind him, and Smee appeared. "You have the blood of our fearless leader on your hands, as we expected you to, so we came prepared." Smee passed Jack a knife. "Who wants to go first?"

"To die?" Rumpelstiltskin asked. "You want us to willingly march to our deaths, one by one."

"That was the idea."

"Like hell," D said. She, Toto, Hook, and Tinker Bell stood behind the two men. Smee and Jack studied their group of adversaries. "Goin' somewhere?"

"That's the idea," Jack replied.

"Life's what happens when you're too busy making other plans."

"Then I guess I should damn the luck."

"Yes, you should. Now, are we gonna go or what?"

"Are we?"

D drew her dagger and took a step forward. Toto kept pace with her, and the closer they got to Jack, the more he snarled. Jack let out a nervous laugh but stood his ground. Bae and Morraine stepped forward, flanking the two men and turning to face both them and each other. Rumpelstiltskin squared his shoulders. Regina studied the crowd, wondering what was going on and how much she had missed. Tink drew Hook's gun and then laced her fingers through his.

Jack lunged forward. D blocked, and their skirmish began. Hook released Tink's hand to draw his sword, and Smee, taking in how outnumbered he and Jack were, how lost their cause was, and showing signs of a nervous break, plunged into it. Toto held Jack's free hand in his jaws, about to sever it entirely, and he jerked back in an effort to regain his freedom. Toto's jaws tightened around his wrist. Rumpelstiltskin and Regina stepped behind Bae, and as a trio, they moved toward Jack and Toto.

Jack finally tore his hand free and slashed at them. Bae ducked, Regina stepped back, and Rumpelstiltskin grabbed his wrist and twisted the knife out of his hand. The knife fell harmlessly into the Dark One's waiting palm. "Thank you for that," he said.

"Screw you," Jack snapped. Rumpelstiltskin twisted his wrist sharply.

"Papa," Bae whispered. Rumpelstiltskin cleared his throat, but he didn't release Jack and he didn't let go of the knife.

"Am I to assume Jack here has no conscience?" Hook asked.

"Depends on which definition of that you use," D replied. The circle tightened around Jack.

"Let's see, what are our options?" Bae asked. "We can kill you, we can let you live to go about your business, we can scare you into obedience to our terms, or I'm sure one of us can think of a suitable fate worse than death. I'm not fond of the last option, and I doubt you will be, either, though I'm not sure we should leave the choice up to you. D, you know him better than I do and you're less biased. What say you?"

"I'm not a killer, either, but if he makes a deal with us, he has to keep it."

"Oh, he will, dearie. He will," Rumpelstiltskin said in his usual slightly-insane manner.

"Look, just let me go. You can keep the beans," Jack said, his voice starting to crack. "I won't go anywhere. I won't even go looking for trods or anything like that. I swear."

"Are those acceptable terms to all of you?"

"Fine by me," Hook said. Tink nodded.

"Yep," D added. Morraine and Baelfire also nodded. Regina had removed herself from the discussion completely.

"Alright then," Rumpelstiltskin said. "Since you proposed these terms, I will assume that you agree to them. Do you understand?" Jack nodded. Everyone stepped back. Jack took off down the street.

"Guess that settles that," D said. "I'll be sure to keep an eye on him."

"So will I."

Bae took what had to be his first easy breath in a long while.


End file.
